Attention
by Crystal di Angelo
Summary: Follow up to Desperation. Part of the Salty Ice Crystals Series. Thor visits Loki in his cell. I'm here to give you the attention to deserve...


_**Another part of the Salty Ice Crystals series. This only has one chapter, as a follow-up to Desperation, and I recommend reading it first. Desperation tells of how Loki got into his predicament, and of Frigga's visit to his cell. Well, now it's Thor's turn. If possible, I'll do an Odin one too before finally moving up to a multi chapter story. I haven't decided on the plot yet, so feel free to give suggestions! Also accepting one-shot requests as long as they don't clash with Desperation or this fanfic's plot.**_

_**For Takada Saiko and Gabrielle Day, even though they don't even know me, but their fanfics inspired a lot of this.**_

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_**Attention**_

"_Thor, please, come to my chambers! I've learned a new spell and it does really wonderful things!" Loki pleaded._

_Thor was engaged in a conversation with Fandral about the best places to stick a knife when killing a Jotun, and wasn't pleased to be interrupted. "Go play on your own, Loki. We're talking about something __**important**__." _

_Loki's enthusiasm seemed to drain out of him all at once. "All right then." He said so quietly that Fandral and Thor didn't hear him over their resumed conversation, and he left._

_That night, Fandral was horrified to find scorpions in his bed._

_It was also the beginning of the many pranks that Loki had played to get attention._

Thor had never given Loki enough attention. And look where Loki was now.

_I failed before, but I'm sure going to make it up now! _Thor thought, determined, as he strode through the grand halls of Asgard's palace.

"Jane told me a Chinese proverb before." Thor said aloud, if only just to convince himself. "It is never too late as long as you realize your mistake."

The words echoed through the hall, and it seemed less reassuring every time Thor heard the sound bouncing off the walls and into his ears again.

Shaking his head, Thor hurried down into the dungeons. He needed to see his brother, to give him the love and attention that was long overdue. It was a small comfort to him, that he might be making up to his brother after all these centuries. He clutched the golden apple in his hand tighter, and glared at the guards guarding the doors. They obediently nodded and parted for Thor to enter.

Loki was sitting on his bed with an emotionless expression on his face. He didn't even twitch when Thor entered the room, except for a quick flick of his green eyes that were normally filled with mischief and fun.

But Thor couldn't see any of those in Loki's eyes now. He saw deep anguish and regret. He saw a crystalline tear dripping onto the floor and turning into an ice crystal. He saw his little brother.

"Loki!" His voice boomed through the cell and winced. Jane would definitely handle this better than him. Jane's voice would be soft and comforting, calm and understanding. Thor's did nothing but to intimate Loki. Oh, how Thor wished that he had brought Jane with him to Asgard, or at least paid her a visit before his hasty leave with Loki.

"What is it, _brother_?" Loki hissed, placing emphasis on the word 'brother'. "I will have none of your gloating. Leave."

Thor was stung, and bewildered. But he replied anyway, "Brother, I know not of what you accuse me of. I come here to give you what you deserve."

As soon as he said it, he regretted it. He should have phrased his words better. Loki would take this as the completely opposite meaning. As anticipated, Loki responded harshly. "So what is it? Whips? Fire? Venom? Or is he going to be more creative this time and use something else?"

"Love." Thor said, unabashed. Before, he would scoff at this word and say that it was sentiment for fools and women, but Jane taught him better. Love is not a weakness. In fact, it was a strength, stronger than anything in all of the Nine Realms. It was a pity that Loki hadn't met his very own Jane. Perhaps the girl, whoever she would be, may be able to teach Loki better, just like Jane had done with Thor. Odin had Frigga, and Thor had Jane. It was time Loki got someone for himself, who would temper Loki.

"Love." Loki sniffed. "Did I not tell you before? _Sentiment._"

"And a very useful one at that." Thor countered. "Brother, why would you not see sense? Give us a chance, at the very least. We have heard your cries for help; now let us fix it."

"There is nothing to fix!" Loki whirled, almost bearing down upon Thor, even from the other side of the glass. "There is _nothing left_ to fix!"

Thor's breath caught in his throat.

_Too late too late too late there is nothing to fix nothing to fix…_

_Never too late as long as you realize your mistake…_

_Too late too late too late…_

_Nothing to fix nothing nothing nothing…_

"Loki." Thor said firmly, trying to block out the sound of his own thoughts. "There _is_ something to fix."

Loki laughed drily. A high, cold, cruel one, so unlike the childish and mischievous ones he used to have before everything went wrong. "What is this, Thor? A guilt trip, as the humans call it? Are you trying to make up something? This is not for _me_, as you claim, but for _yourself_. So that you can sleep in peace and tell yourself that at least you tried, but oh-so-stubborn Loki refused the mighty and kind Thor's help. Asgard would say," Here, Loki put on a high-pitched voice, while Thor was frantically shaking his head.

"'Oh, how chivalrous of our Crown Prince! He never gave up on his brother! But Loki _Laufeyson_ was simply too ungrateful! He deserved what he got, and probably even more. Don't you agree?'"

"Loki-"

"No, Thor. Please. Just leave."

Thor bit his lip. He wanted to stay, he wanted to give his brother the attention he needed, to give him the reassurance that Thor wasn't here for his own conscience, but he was already starting to doubt himself. Was it really like what Loki had implied?

Loki sighed. "You aren't making this any easier. Look, I don't want to be saved, I _can't _be saved, and you don't really want me to be saved. So get over it. Get yourself a new little brother. Leave me alone."

These words were what re-fired the determination to get the old Loki back. "No number of little brothers can replace you, Loki." Thor said firmly. "Nor do I want them. I want _you_. We grew up together, played together-"

"Please don't start me on that speech again." Loki said, frowning. "I must've heard it a hundred times."

"Then I'm going to repeat it hundreds of times more until it finally gets under that thick skull of yours." Thor said, set in his decision. "Brother-"

"_I am not your brother!" _Loki screamed suddenly, taking Thor by surprise. "I never was and never will be! Relinquish those pretty little fantasies of yours! I am a monster, you said so, and I will _always_ be! I was never Asgardian, so don't expect me to look like one!"

Thor reeled back, horrified. "When did I say you are a monster?" he demanded.

Loki smiled bitterly. "Every single day of my life. _Loki, when we grow up, we will kill all those Jotunn monsters! Loki, don't indulge yourself in womanly arts. Go and practice for that great day when we will slay all Jotunn together! Loki…_"

Thor shook his head. "Loki, I didn't know-"

"So how does my parentage change your opinion then?" Loki pointed out icily. "Don't fake kindness, Thor. If there is one thing I hate more than sentiment, it is faked love. I may be the God of Lies, but I don't necessarily have to like them."

"I'm not lying." Thor insisted.

"Then you're bluffing."

Thor gave up, frustrated. Playing at words had never been his strong point. "I love you." He stated finally, hoping that if elaborate words and explanations can't get through to Loki, this could. "I will love you to the end of my days, even if you kill me."

"Even if I killed Odin and Mother?" Loki challenged.

Thor considered it. "You would never do such a thing." He said confidently. "You love Mother too much. You still call her Mother. I may be dim-witted and slow, but do not take me for a complete unobservant fool. I notice that, and many other little things you let slip. You refuse to acknowledge your Jotun heritage fully even now. You call me brother when I enter."

Loki sneered. "You have starting being _observant too late_, Thor Odinson. Why did you not observe my ridicule, your friends' jeers, your _own_ mocking comments on my _womanly _arts that are _unfit_ for a Prince of Asgard?"

Now that Loki mentioned it…Thor couldn't help but feel ashamed for not seeing it earlier.

"_Thor! Thor! Thor Odinson! Thor the Crown Prince! Thor Jotunn Slayer!" The children cheered as Thor entered the practice field, head held high in arrogance and a wooden hammer in his hand. He smashed it down on the ground so hard that the hammer broke._

_Immediately, beautiful maidens, even the shy ones, sauntered up to him. "You are worthy of Mjolnir!" They praised. "What mighty strength! I've heard no one can lift that hammer, let alone fight with it!"_

"_I've lifted it once." Thor boasted. "My brother can testify to it."_

"_Ooh, a brother! Tell me, is he golden and fair as you?" The maidens cooed. "Why do we never see him on the grounds?"_

"_He prefers books to people." Thor answered honestly. "And no, Loki has raven hair."_

_Loki stepped out of the shadows. "The reason you never see him, is because you never bother to __**look**__." He said smoothly. _

"_Ew, __**who**__ is that? One of them whispered, but loud enough for everyone to here. _

"_He is the Second Prince himself, idiots!" Volstagg guffawed. Fandral shot him a stern look. "Don't go patronizing these fair ladies like that, Volstagg. They are delicate."_

"_And so is Loki, to never come out on the grounds." Sif added, to loud and raucous laughter. The maidens laughed more delicately, hands over mouths. Her hair was still short, and she was still smarting about that. Loki flushed._

"_I will be taking my leave, brother." Loki attempted stiffly._

"_Aw, brother, come and join us! Spend some time with us and ditch those womanly practices of yours! They are not befitting of an Asgardian Prince!" Thor roared good-naturedly, smacking him on the back so hard that Loki almost keeled over. Hogun sighed. "Thor, your brother is not a hammer."_

_Thor looked at him, confused. "I know that."_

_Sif wasn't done yet. "Hogun meant that Loki cannot take a pat on the back for fear that you might break him like you broke the hammer."_

_Loki clenched his hands. Sif's short golden locks turned black._

_She didn't notice at first, but when the other children started to point, she looked in a puddle, and lo and behold, in all its raven glory, was the most beautiful mane of black hair one could ever see. But to Sif, it was an insult. Which Loki meant it to be._

"_Loki Odinson!" She screamed, whirling around to punch Loki in the face. Her hand went through the illusion. She screamed in frustration, tearing at her hair furiously, not noticing Loki had slunk back into the shadows, seething and hurt._

"I am sorry, brother." Thor said quietly. "I wish I can fix it, but none of us have figured out a way to go back in time yet. What I can do is to work from now, if only you would let me."

"Leave." Came the cold words. Thor noticed unsettlingly that Loki's eyes were pleading the exact opposite. _Stay, brother, stay!_

"If you wish it, then." Thor said evenly, before hardening his heart and leaving. Loki had to know that Thor's patience, while lengthened, was not infinite, and he did not want Loki to push the limits. He feared that he would hurt Loki all over again.

Loki watched Thor leave, a sinking feeling in his heart. Thor hadn't wanted him, after all. For a moment, he had let himself believe…

Just now, Loki had figured out a way to bypass the way he couldn't control his body. He blended in with the hateful thoughts, saying hateful words that actually had hidden meanings. But apparently Thor was still too dumb to see them.

But for a moment there, Loki had truly believed what he was saying then. And it scared Loki. He wasn't going to try again anytime soon, unless it was absolutely necessary.

After all these years…

…Thor still hadn't paid Loki enough attention.

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_**I don't want to sound like I'm begging for reviews, but I have no problem with begging for requests. I really don't have an available plot in my mind for the coming story! I got Loki into a mess that I can't get him out of. Help.**_


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